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May 06, 2013

Meet the maid: An interview with Theresa Derrington Cozens-Hardy

Some time ago, I did a blog post about the actress who played Fred's maid in the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol, known in Britain as Scrooge. I wrote that viewers loved her, but no one seemed to know who she was. Recently, commenter Paul Tollet told me that he knew: She's his sister's mother-in-law. At the time she appeared in the film, he reported, her name was Theresa Derrington.

I e-mailed Paul, who put me in touch with Theresa's son Matthew Hepenstal, and the two of them supplied some information about her life and career. Her nickname is "Trip," as she was one of triplets. She attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and played only a few roles onstage and in films before marrying in 1951. She and her husband had five children. She was widowed and later married again; her last name is now Cozens-Hardy.

Matthew was kind enough to give me his mother's phone number and encourage me to call her. He also sent me a picture of her taken about 20 years ago (see below). I spoke with another of her sons, Tom, and then finally with Theresa Cozens-Hardy herself. She was delighted to hear that people love her work in Scrooge, and glad to talk about it.

She recalls of the audition, "I didn't have to do anything. . . . I only had to say my name." The filmmakers decided that she had the right look for the part; the only obstacle was her short hair. But with the cap she ended up wearing, that wasn't such a big problem.

Theresa worked on the film for one day. "It was all just sort of mime . . . but it took quite a long time to do," she says. The difficult part was when Scrooge was about to walk into the party. Though she was supposed to be looking at Alastair Sim, who was standing off-camera, he wasn't looking at her, which threw her off. Apparently he wasn't in a very encouraging mood; she recalls that he asked her, in a "sneering" way, "Is this your first film?" She came back with "No, it's my second film!" having previously played a goose girl in an American film version of Robin Hood that was made in England.

(Based on what she told me, and after doing some research, I think this must have been Disney's The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men, released in 1952. The filming dates and location look right. But I haven't yet had a chance to watch the film and see if I can spot her!)

She "got on quite well" with other members of the cast, however, and "enjoyed doing the film." She was originally also in the party scene, walking around with drinks. (There were towels placed on the floor, she recalls, to show her where to go.) But this part didn't make it into the film. Also, she was asked to do some voiceover work for one of Scrooge's children -- "I think probably bits of it had gone wrong," she speculates when asked why -- but she doesn't know if her voice was actually used in the end.

Scrooge was Theresa's final film. As mentioned earlier, she married later that year, and concentrated on raising her family and teaching art. After about 13 years, she got her degree in art history and then started teaching that subject to adults. She taught well into her 70s, and though now officially retired, she still does a little teaching and lives an active life in Norfolk, England.

I had a lovely time talking with Theresa and hearing her reminiscences. I want to thank her for making time for me, and also to thank Paul Tollet, Matthew Hepenstal, and Tom Hepenstal for helping set up the interview.

Comments

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Hi Ms. Dalfonzo - This not a post I would expect you to put up but more a way to contact you as I can't see an email link. I have been following up the gaps in Allan Esler-Smith's short film on the locations of his great uncle's film Scrooge. I think between us he and I have found all the "real world" locations, and identified the studio sets... except for the door of Fred's house. We can't decide if it was a set or a real place and the details point both ways! We don't know if we have completed the set or there is one more place to track down. So I was Googling around and found this post. I wonder if I could ask please if in your conversation it was clear whether Ms. Derrington was filmed at the studio or on location? If it was a studio we can rest from our search, if it was a location we go onwards!
Many thanks

Thank you so much for finding out who played her. I have always loved this movie and espically this scene. I have had a crush on her since I was a kid (I'm 35 now). I have always loved that smile and it always filled me with happiness and just a great overall feeling. Thank you Mrs. Derrington! Your fan from Buffalo New York!

I'd checked IMDB a couple of times, and "Fred's Maid" was not included in the cast list. Now it is -- must be due to this superb post. Have you let Ms. Derrington know how beloved she has been for 60+ years?

Great work. The last two posters mentioned her resemblance to Audrey Hepburn-- and I had actually read somewhere that the maid was Audrey in an uncredited role. Your site comes a week too late to save me embarrassment. When I showed the classic Sim Christmas Carol to my Humanities class last week, I told them that, and now I have to take it back. Aargh. --G. Leonard, San Francisco State University

I just discovered this and am very grateful for your diligence in pursuing this interview with Theresa Derrington. I hope you don't mind, I posted a link to it on my FB page, which is a fan page for this film. Those interested can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/AChristmasCarol1951

My sister and I have loved and watched this version of the Christmas Carol since it came on TV in the early 50's. Like every one else I have always been taken by that lovely actress, Fred's Maid. Have just watched it again this December and raised our 5 children on it. My youngest son brought this wonderful discovery to my attention. Amazing how many popped have been so taken with this lovely youn lady all these years. And she seems to have had a wonderful life.

We were watching again this year and I paused to ask my wife, "I wonder what ever happened to the maid?" This morning my wife found this on the web!
How beautiful to see how her adept and touching performance has moved so many for decades.
Thank you so much!

So..it may be 2.5 yrs after this orignal posting but its Christmas and Ive watched Scrooge for the 3rd time this year. (I watch it anytime and especially at Christmas because its my favourite version of the film!) I noticed some of the commentors are from Britain...a Canadian can also have been taken by Theresa Derrington. Ive wondered for years...Ive always known her name but wondered why she never continuted to act. Shes perfect in this role...and in the Robinhood film as well and I wondered about the voiceovers in Scrooge also.
Thank you Theresa...thank you so much for the rolls you played, for bringing a smile to my face each time I see you and for this interview...and thank you for this Dickens blog.

I too have been touched over the decades by Theresa's brief appearance in this classic film. Would her son be able to provide us with a more current photograph of her? Also, I'm a stickler for details - I'd love to know the date she filmed her scenes as well as the name of the studio...

Thanks to all of you who've dropped by to read this interview and leave your comments! I had a nice Christmas e-mail from Theresa's son, who said that his mother is doing well. Her family continues to be impressed and moved by all the compliments for her performance!

In a way I'm disappointed. It's sort of like the Loch Ness monster. If it's found, it's not as much fun. She is the emotional highlight of the movie and the scene seals the 1951 version as the best and most moving of all the Dicken's movie. Would like to know a little more about who conceived and choreographed the scene. I watch the movie and then go back and watch her scene 5 or 6 times. So very glad she has had such a happy life, and now I know why she never became a major star after the screen test to end all screen tests.

As I noted above, I'm a stickler for detail. I found these two links interesting; they are about the history of the studio, which was located just west of London, where "A Christmas Carol" was filmed. Gina, I'm not if this request was lost in the fray, but I sure would love to learn the date that Theresa was on-set filming.

Honestly, I'm a little bit hesitant to keep sending more questions to Theresa's family and asking them to get her to answer them (if she even remembers the dates after all these decades). It was incredibly gracious of her to grant the interview, and while I do understand the desire to know more, I'm afraid that to keep asking follow-up questions -- or to ask for her home address, as MKP requested -- would be to take advantage of her kindness. I hope you can understand.

Hi Gina. Yes, I can understand that. If a future opportunity arises and you are comfortable posing the question, please keep me in mind.

On a whim, the other day I was going through the cast in an effort to determine who among them was still alive. It was through this effort that I came across your blog. It appears that Theresa is the only living cast member as far as I could tell. I am curious to know whatever became of Ignorance and Want... They were quite young and likely to still be around as well.

Thank you for shining the spotlight on this charming actress. Her scene, accompanied by the instrumental of the sorrowful "Barbara Allen" is one of my favorite scenes in the film. With no words spoken, this young maid's gentle nod offers redemption and encouragement to the now-humbled Scrooge.

I grew up watching the American Version "A Christmas Carol" although I must admit as a young child being frightened by the last scene of the Ghost of Christmases yet to come". I was born only 4 years before the movie was made. In the midst of my second tour in Vietnam I was injured just prior to Christmas 1967 and ended up in the Naval Hospital in Yokosuka,Japan. On Christmas Eve this movie was shown. In the midst of the pain suffering surrounding me I remember watching Theresa Derrington's gentle face and listening to Barbara Allen. It made me smile. I was lucky. I recovered, finished my tour, and came home. Please if you get chance tell her performance saved my sanity/life.

I'm having a hard time trying to find the name of the polka played at Fred's house. I, too, have admired that assuring smile she gave Scrooge and wondered who she was, now I know and appreciate the investigating done to locate her.

The scene between Scrooge and Fred's maid is my favorite scene in the entire movie! The unspoken emotional chemistry between Scrooge's hesitation and the maid's look of encouragement is so very well done.

My favorite scene from my favorite movie! It was wonderful to stumble onto this dialog on Christmas Eve, just after watching it on TV. I go back with this movie to the early 1960’s, when WOR-TV in New York would usually show it at 7:30 PM for a whole week at Christmas time; in some later years (in pre-VCR days) it was a challenge to find it televised but I almost always was able to do so each year. Like a few others who’ve posted, as a young boy I had a bit of a crush on this character and have always looked forward to this scene (imagine how much less emotional it would have been if Scrooge entered and just spoken to Fred directly). Thanks, Gina, it was wonderful to discover Ms. Derrington’s story, and glad that you have been able to convey to her how much her performance had meant to so many.

Ive been trying to research this actress for my dad dennis I'm sure he'll be over joyed to find out that this beautiful young actress is alive and well. I believe like many others his heart was stolen each time he saw her